th him, Sir
Thomas. One wants to do the very best, of course. The question of
reform is always delicate.

CALWAY. I beg your pardon. There is no question here.

HOXTON. [Abruptly.] Oh! Is he in the house?

ANN. In there.

HOXTON. Works for you, eh?

WELLWYN. Er--yes.

HOXTON. Let's have a look at him!

[An embarrassed pause.]

BERTLEY. Well--the fact is, Sir Thomas----

CALWAY. When last under observation----

ANN. He was sitting on the floor.

WELLWYN. I don't want the old fellow to feel he's being made a show
of. Disgusting to be spied at, Ann.

ANN. You can't, Daddy! He's drunk.

HOXTON. Never mind, Miss WELLWYN. Hundreds of these fellows before
me in my time. [At CALWAY.] The only thing is a sharp lesson!

CALWAY. I disagree. I've seen the man; what he requires is steady
control, and the bobbins treatment.

[WELLWYN approaches them with fearful interest.]

HOXTON. Not a bit of it! He wants one for his knob! Brace 'em up!
It's the only thing.

BERTLEY. Personally, I think that if he were spoken to seriously

CALWAY. I cannot walk arm in arm with a crab!

HOXTON. [Approaching CALWAY.] I beg your pardon?

CALWAY. [Moving back a little.] You're moving backwards, Sir
Thomas. I've told you before, convinced reactionaryism, in these
days----

[There comes a single knock on the street door.]

BERTLEY. [Looking at his watch.] D'you know, I'm rather afraid
this may be our young husband, WELLWYN. I told him half-past four.

WELLWYN. Oh! Ah! Yes. [Going towards the two reformers.] Shall
we go into the house, Professor, and settle the question quietly
while the Vicar sees a young man?

CALWAY. [Pale with uncompleted statement, and gravitating
insensibly in the direction indicated.] The merest sense of
continuity--a simple instinct for order----

HOXTON. [Following.] The only way to get order, sir, is to bring
the disorderly up with a round turn. [CALWAY turns to him in the
doorway.] You people without practical experience----

CALWAY. If you'll listen to me a minute.

HOXTON. I can show you in a mo----

[They vanish through the door.]

WELLWYN. I was afraid of it.

BERTLEY. The two points of view. Pleasant to see such keenness.
I may want you, WELLWYN. And Ann perhaps had better not be present.

WELLWYN. [Relieved.] Quite so! My dear!

[ANN goes reluctantly. WELLWYN opens the street door. The
lamp o